There is literally no one I don't hate right now.

[notplaying]

Toby was in the council office. He had the door propped open with stack of his least favorite books, and numerous stacks of paper neatly set out in equal intervals around the table with chairs in front of each. He was at what he counted as being the fifth one. The order was: Council Parameters, Grievances of Property, Grievances of Person,

Comments

[dogbitesman]

"That sounds like Ankh-Morpork before Havelock Vetinari," William said, thinking. "With the caveat that while murder was punishable, as you say, by public execution, you could only commit murder if you lived below a certain income bracket."

Which was no longer true, because Vimes would arrest anyone.*

He made a note. "It does make a certain kind of sense. I imagine people would get sick of voting on every decision every week, and if everyone but those who are passionate stopped bothering to vote..." He shook his head. Passion was all well and good, but a government being operated on the say of extremists was not a nice image. "Of course, if people continue to run without platforms or any idea of what they stand for, it's hard to say that we've elected them for their opinions and that they represent the populace at large, wouldn't you say? Currently we're not electing people based on what they represent, but on competence and personality. And given how overcrowded the field has been the last two times, memorability is probably a very big factor as well."

Which wasn't necessarily all bad, but it wasn't all good, either.

*Of course, assassination was still perfectly legal and available to anyone with the funds. This was all right, though, because no assassin would take out a contract on someone who couldn't afford to defend themselves.

[notplaying]

"I know. I think it should take a minimum of seven or ten signed constituents for a candidate to be able to run, a primary election to eliminate two thirds of those eligible, and then a final election from which the council is elected. It would makes things substantially more manageable, not to mention give a better idea of exactly what you were voting for. But I also think an election of that magnitude would warrant longer terms than six months."

[dogbitesman]

"Six months isn't a lot of time to get certain things done, all considered," William said, nodding first in acknowledgement of the points Toby was making and then to the papers strewn across the desk. He flipped a page an titled it in notable letters Elctn Rfm? "I mean, I imagine you were hoping to have this completed in your current term, for instance?"

[notplaying]

"You'd think, given that there's nothing going on really, six months would be enough time. But yes. Yes. I had planned on having these done and ready for ratification by the public two months ago. Even with teaching at the school and private tutoring for advanced classes and writing my own book and-" he made a slight gesture that stood for losing the woman I love again, "-personal...setbacks, I should have had all this done, run through the wringer of the council's spectrum and ready for to be presented to the public two months ago."

[dogbitesman]

"Everything seems to take longer when you have longer to do it in," William said, with a faint frown. "Do you think it will be ready for the wringer soon, then?"

[notplaying]

"It's already been through once. Now I'm expounding upon things that aren't exclusively how the council works, and then they'll go through again, and of course I'm always hoping more of thee public will wander in and complain about something so I can fix it on paper before it gets put to them. As much fun as it is," Toby said, sighing and moving to another chair, to The Book, "cornering people and surveying them individually, I mostly just stay in the one place. Or the school house. I'm easier to find than everyone else. I think, at least."

[dogbitesman]

"You are fairly easy to find," William said, considering the piles. "I could make copies and distribute them," he mused. "Attach a piece of paper with space for opinions and the like. It might fetch in a few responses, what do you say?"

[notplaying]

"Not quite yet," Toby said, "But it's a good idea, when the language is done."

[dogbitesman]

"Fair enough," William said.

He had previously being working on the principle that he would not print anything for the council until they let a reporter in the room for council sessions. But there that issue was, in black and white, so he was willing to help. If only to hurry that particular transparency in government issue along.

"This point about informal meetings ... am I reading this right, and you're basically saying it's okay for council members to run into each other and chat about the business of the moment, but they're not allowed to do it hiding in a broom closet? Er, or New Zealand Consulate, as ours currently appears to be."

[notplaying]

"We're saying if Arthur Castus walked in here and the two of us discussed a sudden septic crisis or our thoughts on any of these pages set out here," Toby said with a gesture of one hand, "we aren't obligated to go get someone to take notes on it. However, we're both council members, and as soon as you accept the responsibility of being a public servant your definition of 'conversation' changes. We don't have daily scheduled meetings, but we're all in and out of here all the time. However, part of that reality is that this door?" he said, pointing to the room's entrance, "Stays open. Always. Unless a situation specifically calls for private deliberation, that door stays open." He was quiet a moment.

"I'm sorry, New Zealand Consulate?"

[dogbitesman]

"The broom cupboard currently appears to be doing double duty as a New Zealand Consulate," William said, noting this down. With a line under the part about the door staying open. "There's a sign."

[notplaying]

Toby pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Of course there is. A sign makes it official. Why wouldn't there be a New Zealand Consulate and sign in the broom closet. I wonder if the games closet is taken. I can set up an American Embassy. With a sign, of course."

[dogbitesman]

"I take it you weren't here while the IPD office had a Canadian Consulate sign above it?" William said, looking distinctly unimpressed at the memory.

Because that hadn't sat well with him at all.

[notplaying]

"You know what?" Toby said, sighing and running his fingertips along his forehead, "I don't remember. I've been here so long, now, I guess I've let some details go. What the hell use is a consulate when this place strips your nationality of all meaning except the personal? Consulate just becomes another word for support group," he muttered. "God I wish I had a drink."

[dogbitesman]

"A word for support group that also has unfortunate expectations about extraterritoriality attached to it," William said, as he wrote this down.

All of it. Because he was who he was.

"But I think that's exactly what this broom cupboard business is about. An attempt at a reminder of home. In the, er, compound broom cupboard."

[notplaying]

"Well, as long as people can still get to the brooms, I don't see any harm in it," Toby said, shrugging. "I hope it helps."